BOTTERILL/VACY-LYLE: CHAMPIONS AGAIN!

Date:26 Aug 2019

Author Type:Press Release

Author:Toyota South Africa

Source:Toyota South Africa

PIETERMARITZBURG, KwaZulu-Natal – Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s Guy Botterill
and navigator Simon Vacy-Lyle secured yet another South African National Rally
Championship, when they won the Zane Rencken National Rally on Saturday, 24
August 2019. This is the pair’s third consecutive overall national title,
adding to the three Class S1600 titles they won before their first national
championship – all behind the wheel of their (now) Class R2N Toyota Etios 1600.

“It is an unbelievable feeling to make it three titles in a row,” said
an overjoyed Botterill after the event. “We’ve had a really good season this
year, and wrapping up the championship with two rounds to go is testimony to
our technical crew, as well as our reliable Etios.”

The pair started their 2019 campaign with a flag-to-flag victory on the
Cape Overberg Grand Prix; and followed up with another win in the Rally of
South Africa, in the Lowveld. The King Price Rally in Gauteng was up next, and
saw Botterill/Vacy-Lyle achieve a hat-trick of victories.

“The only blip on our season came when the Baywest National Rally, down
in P.E., was cut short due to heavy rains,” said Botterill. “We were in second
place after some issues on Day 1, but were just 8 sec off the lead and ready to
attack on Day 2. But then the heavens opened, and we had to settle for second
place.”

Victory in Round 5, the recent Zane Rencken National Rally, saw the pair
clinch the title with two rounds to spare.

“It was a close-run thing, in the end, as AC Potgieter was in second
place right until the final stage,” explained Botterill after claiming victory.
“Unfortunately, he had an off into the sugar cane, lost some time, and received
a penalty on top of that – which meant that he wasn’t in title contention
anymore.”

Second place went to Jono van Wyk and navigator Barry White (Ford
Fiesta) in the end; while Chris Coertse and Greg Godrich, in their Mazda 2,
rounded out the podium.

The Lake Umuzi Rally in Secunda is next on the
calendar, and is scheduled for the weekend of 27 and 28 September, 2019.